Combined motion picture and talking machine



Dec. 29, 1931. A. M. oLsEN COMBINED MOTION PICTURE AND TALKING MACHINE Filed March 14, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet nou/woz met@ 777. @ZW @351g abme/13m DCC. 29, 1931. A M, OLSEN 1,838,440

COMBINED MOTION PICTURE ANDv TALKING MACHINE Filed March 14, 1928 4 sheets-sheet' 2 Suva/woz Dec. 29, 1931. A. M. oLsEN l COMBINED MOTION PICTURE AND lTALKING MACHINE v Filed March 14, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 29, 1931. A. M. oLsl-:N 1,838,440

COMBINED MOTION PICTURE AND TALKING MACHINE Filed March 14. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v @M www @SMM/ww@ Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITED sTATEs M. OLSEN, F BROOKLYN, YORK COMBINED MOTION PICTURE AND TALKING MACHINE Application" area laren 14, 192s. serial No. 261,485.

This invention relates to improvements in a combination motion picture and talking machine and the principal object of the invention is the provision of such a machine in which motion pictures may be projected and a sound record may be played in complete and accurate synchronization. The disclosure in the drawings is of a machine adapt-4 having a single source of power and having automatic connections so as to throw the motion picture machine and the talking machine into operation and to operate them synchronously. l

A further obj ect is the provision of such a. structure which includes means whereby the speed of the motion picture film and the speed of the talking machine record may be readily adjusted and maintained in accurate synchronism. Furthermore, the machines may be operated separately if desired.

Another object of the invention is the provision of automatic means controlled by the film for starting the operation of the talking machine, and a still further and more limited object is the inclusion of electrically operated mechanism for` said talking machine.

Further objects of this invention include improvements in details of construction and operation whereby' a simple and effective apparatus of this character is provided, which may be operated at various speedsand readily controlled and adjusted and is automatic in starting and stopping, as well as various mechanical features hereinafter pointed out. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and then sought to be defined in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and which show, merely for the purpose of illustrative disclosure, aA preferred embodiment of my invention, it being expressly understood, however, that various changes may be made in practice within the scope of the claims without digressing from my inventive idea.

In the drawings- Figure l represents a top plan view of one form of apparatus constructed to embody my invention, parts being broken away and some shown in section in order to facilitate the disclosure.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, parts being shown in vertical section.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 3 3 of Figure l, parts being shown in elevation and disclosing the talking machine part of the structure, together with the actuating means for the record.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 4 4 of Figure l, the parts being shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a collective or exploded perspective view of the parts which constitute the switch mechanism;

` Figure 7 is a top` plan view of a detail.

Figure 8 is a detail view of a portion of a motion picture film and the operating wheel actuated thereby. Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical control circuits.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of one of the sound records.

Figure 11 is a vertical cross section taken substantially on linellnll of Figure 3.

Figure 12 includes three views in section Y and side elevation of various parts entering into thev construction of one of the actuating wheels.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the base or support upon which this apparatus is mounted and the numeral 11 designates generally a motion picture projecting machine, the details of which form no part of this invention except as hereinafter described. The reference character 12 designates a talking machine which may be of substantially any form of constructlon.

The machine tone arm and sound box amplifying system is not illustrated because that forms no part of this invention. These machines are ada ted to be operated from a single source o power such as the electric motor 13, driving shaft 14 of which is operatively connected to or with a cone-shaped driving roller 15. This driving roller 15 is a part of the chain of mechanism which actuates both the motion picture machine and the talking machine, the connections for driving the former being positioned on one side of the roller and the connections for driving the latter being positioned on the other side of the roller. As these connections are substantially the same in construction, part of the description of the one will apply to the other.

On the motion picture side of the machine is provided an elongated frame 16 which is formed with Suitable bearings 17 to rotatably receive the elongated shaft 18. On one end of this shaft 18 I provide a pulley 19 which drives the motion picture pro] ecting machine by means of the belt construction shown. The part of this shaft 18 which is located between the two journals or bearings 17 is preferably square or angular in cross section, as indicated at 20 in Figure 11. This square or angular portion of the shaft ts the correspondingly shaped bore 21 formed in the hub of the operating wheel or roller 22 (see Figure 12). This wheel or roller' is preferably formed of two disc-like parts 23 and 24, both being dishshaped and provided with the edge rims to cooperate to form a slot 25 to receive the bean ing element 26, which is in the form of an annular washer formed of babbitt, liber or other suitable friction material. Within the hollow wheel provided by the dished parts I provide a pluralityl of spring or resilient members 27 which bear against the annular washer 26 and yieldingly hold it into engagement with the surface of the conical roller 15.

A movable frame 28 (see Figures 1 and 11)y is provided for holding and moving the wheel 22 longitudinally of its shaft 18 and also of the conical roller 15. This frame includes the base member 29, which is slidable in a suitable support 30 having the upwardly extending member 31 supporting a pair of spaced bearings 32 which receive and support the en# tended hubs of the roller 22.. This frame 28 is extended rearwardly as at 33 and has a.

threaded engagement at 34 with a longitudinally extending worm 35. This worm is rotatably supported in a frame 86 and manually operated by means of the hand wheel 37. This frame 36 is provided with a longitudinal scale 38 suitably marked and the movable frame 28 is provided with a suitable pointer 39 adapted to cooperate with the scale to make visible indication of the adjustment of the roller 22 longitudinally of its shaft 18 and of the conical roller 15.

A similar construction is provided on the other side for operating the talking machine mechanism. However, in this instance the shaft 18 is provided with a worm 40 at its end which meshes with a gear wheel 41 on the shaft 42 for rotating the talking machine turn table 43, as is well understood. The roller 22 for operating the motion picture projecting machine is normally in contact with the conical roller l5, whereas the roller 22, forming part of the connection for operating the talking machine, is normally out of contact with the conical roller 15. Consequently, the the frame 16 is pivotally mounted as at 44 (see Figure 3) so that it has a movement about the pivot 44 as a center and this center cor responds to the spindle for operating the talking machine turn table. The roller 22 for actuating the talking machine iscradjustable and has engaging means similar to that one previously described in connection with the actuating mechanism for the motion picture projecting machine.

This apparatus is adapted to be thrown into operation when the motion picture film starts to run through the projecting machine and to that end the film is provided with a plurality of notches or indentations or teeth 45 along one edge (see Figures 1 and 8). As the film moves along` these notches, etc. 45 of the film will engage the rollers or pins 46 of the Wheel 47. This wheel 47 is loosely mounted on its shaft 49 and is thereto by means of the spring 48 (see Figure 1). This wheel 47, therefore, winds up the spring and, therefore, revolves the shaft 49 and the connected gear 50 (see Figure 4). This gear 50 meshes with the larger gear 5l which is secured to the upper part of the shaft 52. When this larger gear turns through an arc of 90o the switch mechanism connected to the bottom of the shaft 52 is actuated and a contact is made 'in an electric circuit so that the roller for operating the talking machine is thrown into engagement with the conical driving roller. On the upper end of the shaft 52 is provided a cam construction 53 (see Figures 4 and 7), which is adapted to engage a stationary roller mcmber 54 and force the shaft 52 away from the film so as to withdraw wheel 47 from Contact with the edge thereof. This movement is permitted because the frame 55 for supporting the upper'end of the shaft 52 and also for supporting the wheels 47 and 50 and their attached parts, is slidably mounted in a suit able support 56 and normally held in engag ing position by means of the spring 57. As long, however, as the cam member 53 is in engagement with the stationary member 54, 'the wheel 47 will be held from contact with the edge of the ilm.

As stated above, the shaft 52 operates the connected switch mechanism. This switch mechanism is designated generally by the reference character 58 and includes a bracket 59 of insulating material which is formed to provide an elevated portion ortable 6() supported by a plurality of lugs 61, which are bolted to a suitable support 62 so as to hold the elevated portion of the table in spaced relation with respect to the support to permit a. slidable plate or member 63 to move thereunder. This sliding plate or member 63 is also formed of insulating material and has its upper face formed or provided with two sets of oppositely disposed cam surfaces 64 and 65, the cam surfaces of each set being 'inclined oppositely to the cam surfaces of the other set. An elongated slot 66 is provided in said plate or member 63 to permit the passage of the rod 67, one end of which is fastened to the support or base 62 by means of the screw .and nut construction 68 and the other end of which extends upwardly to enter a bore 69 formed in the lower end of shaft 52. This shaft 52, by the way, is also constructed of insulating material.

The reference character 70 designates each of a pair of contact members or elements which are held in spaced relation by an insulated bridge member ,71 which is apertured to permit the passage ofthe rod 67 therethrough. The reference character 72 designates another set of contact elements which are similar to the set designated 7 0 and which are also held in spaced relation by means of an insulated bridge member 73, which is likewise apertured to permit the passa e of the rod 67 therethrough. When assemwled the bridge piece 73 overlies the bridgepiece 71 to extend above the same and extends at an angle or transversely thereof.

The table member is provided with a plurality of spaced notches 74 which are adapted to receive the contact elements and 72, respectively, but normally 'the top surfaces of these contact elements are positioned below the top face of the table 60. The top surface of the table 60 is formed with in-A clined or bevelled portions 75 leading to certain of the notches 74.

The reference character 76 designates a contact member' of conducting material which is ixedly secured to the lower end of shaft 52 and has the contact lugs 77 provided near each end. These are of such a size and so arranged as to fit into either set of notches 74 so as to contact and bridge either set of Contact elements 70 and 7 2, respectively. The lower ends 78 of the contact Ymembers 70 normally rest upon the iiat surface of the slidable plate or member 63 in the path of movement of the cam surfaces 64, while the lower ends 79 of the contact element 72 normally rest upon the flat surfaces of the sliding plate or member 63 in the path of movement of the cam surfaces 65. When this plate or member 63 ismoved to the right in Figures 4, 5 and 7, the lower ends 78 of the contact member 70 will engage the inclined surfaces of the cams 64 and, therefore, the contact members 70 will be raised. At the completion of the raising movement the upper surfaces of these contact members 70 will be positioned in the plane or above, the plane of the top of the table member 60, and furthermore, if the contact lugs 77 of the contact bridge are in that position, it will also be raised out of the notches 74 as hereinafter described and be free to rotate. It is to be noted that the contact elements 70 and 72 are provided with l suitable binding posts 80.

Referring now to Figure 9 it is seen that these switch elements are located in an electric circuit 81 which includes a battery 82 and has a pair of solenoids 83 and 84 provided therein. The cores of the solenoids are connected so that they move as a single member and the core of the solenoid 84 is connected. by means of link 85 with the pivoted frame member 16 (see Figure 1), whereby when the contacts 70 are bridged by means of the contact member 76, the circuit 81 is closed to cause the core of the solenoid 83 to extend and move the pivoted frame 16 so as to cause the actuating roller 21 to engage the conical roller 15 to rotate the shaft 18 Aand operate the talking machine turn table. noted in this connection that due to the fact that the frame 16 is pivoted at 44 (see Figure 3) on a center corresponding to the center of the turn table, that the turning. movement of the frame 16 about the center will cause a slight initial movement of the shaft 42 due to the fact that the worm 40 and gear 41 are in engagement. Thus the turn table will be started slightly previous to the contact of the actuating roller 21 with the conical roller 15.

It is to be noted that when the'solenoid 83 is energized to move the frame 16 toward the conical roller 15, due to the link and bell crank connections 86, 87 and 88 (see Figure 1) the sliding plate member 63 will be moved so that the lower portion 78 of the contact member 7() will move up the inclined surfaces of the cam 64, so that the Contact member 7() and the bridging member 76 will be raised. In its raised position, the lower surfaces of the briding contacts 77 will be on the same plane or slightly above the plane of the upper surface of the table 60, so that the bridging contact member 76 is free to rotate. At the completion of the running of the film and the record, the shaft 52 is turned, either manually or by means of an automatic stop, neither one of which is shown because these are standard parts of a talking machine, as is well known. When the shaft 52 is turned, the bridging member 76 will be turned through an arc of ninety degrees until the contacts 77 thereof are in alinement with It is to bei the other pair of slots lli in the raised table member 60. This member will then drop so that the contacts 77 will engage the other pair of contacts 72, closing the circuit through the solenoid 8d so as to withdraw or pull the frame 16- away from the conical roller 15. During this movement, due to the link and bell crank connections 816, 87 and 88, the sliding plate member 63 will be moved so as to cause the lower portion 79 of the contact member 72 to ride upon the inclinations of thecam 65 and to rest upon the upper surface thereof, so that the contact member 72 will be raised, as well as raising the bridging contact member 76 sufficiently sc that upon the next rotating movement of the bridging contact member 76, the Contact member 77 thereof will be free to move about the top of the table member 6G, as previously described. The shaft 52 is slidably mounted in the parts so as to permit this raising move ment. v

lt is also to be noted that the talking ma chine record, which is designated generally by the reference character 89, is provided with a starting notch 99 along one edge which is adapted to be engaged by the locking member 91 when placed in position so asy to insurrthat the record only starts at the proper place It is, therefore, seen that lf have provided in one apparatus a very simple and effective construction for operating in synchronism a moving picture projection machine and a talking machine. The records and the films should preferably be marked with the rate of speed, and by the use oit the indicating mechanism 38 and 39 and the adjusting means for the rollers 22 and 22', the proper speeds of the film and the record can be readily obtained and maintained. rlhe shafts 18 and-18 are located in parallelism to the outer or engaging surface of the conical roller 15 when in operating position, so that the rollers 22 and 22 will contact withthe conical roller in any of their adjusted positions.

An important feature of this construction is the adjustable or regulable frictional engagement between the operating rollers 22 and 22' and the conical driving roller 15. This arrangement and construction permits the ready adjustment and regulation of the speeds of the film and record with entire independence.

It is to be noted also that the frame 16 is likewise mounted on a pivot 44 so as to turn so that the shaft 18 may be moved into and out of parallelism with the conical driving roller 15, and the roller 22 into and out of contact with the face thereof. This enables the machines to be run separately.

I am the applicant'in a pending application on combined motion picture and talkingmachine, Serial No. 61,534, filed October 9, 1925, and this present application is filed as a continuation in part.

.. l inseam including in combination a motion picture l projecting machine and a talking machine, a

main driving element for driving both machines, a. shaft for driving said motion picture machine, a roller adjustably mounted on said shaft in contact with the main driving element, a'shaft for driving the taking machine mounted upon a pivot so as to be swung toward and away from said main driving element and having a roller movably mounted thereon adapted to be brought into contact with said main driving element, and operative connections between the film and said lastmentioned shaft whereby during the initial movement of the film said last-mentioned shatt will be moved to bring its roller into Contact with the driving element and start the operation of the talking machine.

2. lin apparatus o1" the character described, including in combination a motion picture projecting machine and a talking machine, a main driving element for driving both ma chine's, a shaft tor driving said motion picture machine, a roller adjustably mounted on said shaft in contact with the main driving element, a shaft for driving the talking machine mounted upon a pivot so as to be swung toward and away trom said main driving element and having a roller movably mounted thereon adapted to be brought into contact with said main driving element, operative connections between the film and said lastmentioned shaft whereby during the initial movement of the iilm said last-mentioned shaft will be moved to bring its roller into contact with the driving element and start the operation of the talking machine, indica tors associated with said rollers, and means for moving said rollers independently oi" each other so as to independently vary the speeds of the two machines.

3. Driving mechanism tor a combination moving picture and talking machine, including a driving element having a tapered sur face, a shaft parallel to said tapered surface and having operative connections to a moving pisture mac ine for operating the same, another shaft having operative connections to a talking machine for operating the same, said last-mentioned shaft being mounted on a pivot corresponding to the center of the turntable of said talking machine and being adapted to be moved toward and from said driving element, the operative connections between said last-mentioned shaft and said talking machine including a worm and gear construction whereby, when said shaft is moved in a direction toward said driving element, the driven gear for the talking machine will be slightlyrotated so as to initially overcome the inertia of that machine, a roller movably mounted on each of said shafts to drive the same and adapted to contact with picture projecting machine, a talking machine, a driving element and operative connections betweensaid driving element and each of said machines, said connection between the driving element and the talking machine being normally inoperative, electrically actuated mechanism for moving said last-mentioned connection into operative position, a switch mechanism for controlling the operation of said mechanism, and connections between said switch mechanism and said film whereby, when the film starts to move, the switch mechanism will be operated to close the circuit to cause the talking machine to operate, said last-mentioned connections including a rotatable elementadapted to be rotated by the film anda shaft" to which switch parts are connectedfor closing and opening the switch, said rotatable element serving as a driving means for driving said shaft.

5L In. an apparatus of the character described, including in combination a moving picture projecting machine, a talking machine, a driving element and operative connections between said driving element and each of said machines, said connection between the driving element and the talking machine being normally inoperative, electrically actuated mechanism for moving said last-mentioned connection into operative position, a switch mechanism for controlling the operation of said mechanism, and connections between said switch mechanism and said film whereby, when the film starts to move, the switch mechanism will be operated to close the circuit to cause the talking machine to operate, said last-mentioned connections including a rotatable element adapted to be rotated by the film, a shaft to which switch parts are connected for closing and opening the switch, said rotatable element serving as a driving means for driving said shaft, and. means for disengaging said rotatable element from contact with the ilm after rotation of said shaft through an arc of ninety degrees. 6. Driving mechanism for a combination moving picture and talking machine, including a driving element having a tapered surface, a shaft parallel to said tapered surface and *having operative connections to a mov-l ing picture machine for operating the same, another shaft having operative connections to a talking machine for operating the same, said last-mentioned shaft being mounted on a pivot corresponding to the center of the turntable of said talking machine and being adapted to be moved toward and from said driving element, the operative connections between said last-mentioned shaft and said talking machine including a worm and ear construction whereby, when said sha t is moved in a direction toward said driving element, the driven gear for the talking machine will berslightly rotated so as to initially overcome the inertia of that machine, a roller movably mounted on each of said shafts to drive the same and adapted to contact with said driving element, means for adjustin the position of each roller independently o the other with relation to the surface of the driving element, and electrically operated mechanism for moving the driving shaft for the talking machine, said electrical apparatus being adapted to be actuated through connections with the film during the initial movement of the film.

7. In an apparatus of the character de-` scribed and in combination, a moving picture machine and a talking machine, means whereg by said machines may `be independently driven, the driving'meansfor said talking machine being normally inoperative, means for placing said driving means for said talking machine in operation, said means including projections on one edge of said film and a tension wheel adapted to be engaged by said projections on said film, a switch mechanism and means whereby said tension wheel operates said switch mechanism to close an electric circuit and place the said driving means in operative relation.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, T have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of March, 1928.

AXEL M. OLSEN, 

